Determinants of Women Participation in Community Based Water Projects in Homabay County
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of Women participation in
Community based Water Development projects in Homa Bay County. The study was guided
by the following objectives; to examine the influence of gender policy on the participation of
women in community water projects in Homa Bay County, to assess how the level of
education influenced the participation of women in community water projects in Homa Bay
County, to evaluate the extent to which Socio-Culture influences participation of Women in
Community based Water projects in Homa Bay County and to examine how project financing
influences women participation in community water projects in Homa Bay county. The study
used descriptive Survey.
The study targeted 2000 members of registered water projects in all the eight sub counties of
Homa Bay County, according to Ministry of Water and Irrigation report on inventory of
water projects. The sample size was 200 women members of the entire committees of the
registered water projects. 20 women from Suba Sub County were used for piloting. The data
from the field were edited for accuracy, consistency and analyzed using descriptive statistical
tools (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences V.17.0 and Excel). The findings of the
research showed that women participation in water project was determined by gender of the
people, level of education of women, culture and Financing of the projects.
Therefore, it was concluded that: gender, level of women education, culture, and project
financing promoted women involvement thus negatively determine women participation in
the water projects in this study area. The study, therefore, recommended that, the level of
education should be enhanced, cultural barriers be removed and allow women access and
control of resources so as to have collaterals to borrow money to fund projects. The result of
this study may be used by the development agencies, County Governments and communities
in selecting and developing strategies to achieve full women participation that will ensure
sustainability of rural water projects in Homa Bay County. This research was limited to
women participation in the rural water project in Homa Bay County; therefore, the study
recommends future studies to focus on other rural areas within Kenya with varied political,
cultural and environmental contexts.